Paper long abstract:

The Russian imperial policy in the Kazakh steppe led to a radical break-up of the traditional political system of the Kazakh society. Creation of new administrative units led to the creation of new local government institutions in the Kazakh steppe. These changes led to the transformation of the traditional structure and adaptation to new changes, particularly to the change in the role of the Kazakh elite from "aq suyek" to the one that demanded loyalty to the "Tsar and Fatherland". As Gulmira Sultangalieva wrote in her Officials of the Orenburg Department (2014), the Kazakh elite were incorporated into the imperial system and became managers within the Russian Empire. The main criteria for Kazakhs going into Russian state service were social origin, knowledge of Russian/Tatar languages, knowledge of "near-border" Russians, efficiency and zeal, respect and trust from the local population, and dedication to the Russian power.

This paper will consider the careers of the three representatives of the Kazakh political elite, whose slogan was: «Knowledge is a way of rescuing the nation». They are Jangir khan (the ruler of the Bukey Horde); Akhmet Janturin (Aga-sultan of the eastern part of the Orenburg region); Musa Chormanov (Aga Sultan of Bayan-awil outer okrug, Northern Kazakhstan). What unites these individuals is that they all were graduates of the Russian military educational institutions, knew several languages, had military ranks, worked within the Russian colonial institutions, and contributed to the development of enlightenment and culture in the Kazakh steppe.

For the Kazakh elite, education was an important tool of maintaining their influence on the local authorities in a new way. To achieve this goal, the Kazakh elite supported the development of the Russian-style education in the Kazakh steppe, financed the construction of new schools, allocated financial support for schools, teachers and medical personnel, financially supported Kazakh students studying in Russian higher educational institutions, created scholarships for the Kazakh youth, invited educated young people to serve in administrative institutions.

In addition to their official and administrative activities, Zhangir Khan, Ahmet Zhanturin and Musa Shormanova collected materials about Kazakh language, religion, literature, history, and traditions, wrote works about Kazakh folklore and ethnography, supported Russian scholars doing research in the Kazakh steppe, and participated in the exhibition presenting Kazakh culture, opened ethnographic and military museums and joined scientific organizations of the times such as the Russian Imperial Geographic society, Kazan University.